Preservation Chelsea has received a grant from MotorCities National Heritage Area to raise awareness of the importance of the Longworth buildings to Michigan’s automotive history.
Preservation Chelsea is using the funds to display interpretive posters illustrating the connections between the buildings and Chelsea’s transportation history. The posters were created by John Pappas, a local graphic designer, and will be displayed in downtown locations over the coming months.
The Longworth complex, located on Jackson Street near the Chelsea Depot, consists of three buildings. At one time, they consisted of a livery stable for horses and carriages, a manufac-turing facility and an automobile showroom.
The Welch automobile was first manufactured in Chelsea in 1903 in the central Mack Building and, from the late 1940s to the early 60s, the Daniels’ Art Moderne showroom displayed Oldsmobiles and Buicks.
The mission of MotorCities National Heritage Area, an affiliate of the National Park Service, is to preserve and communicate the story of automotive and labor history in Southeast Michigan. A goal of the MotorCities program is to promote education, interpretation and tourism initiatives related to Michigan’s automotive heritage.
Preservation Chelsea is working with other community partners to conserve elements of Chelsea’s transportation history as a resource for its future. This effort is part of Preservation Chelsea’s overall mission of maintaining the charm and historic integrity of the community while supporting a vibrant and successful downtown.
For more information about the Longworth buildings’ past and present, visit http://thechelseaconnection.blogspot.com/.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment